First the Globes; now the Oscars are under threat

Hollywood’s biggest night could suffer the same fate as the Golden Globes with no sign of the writers’ strike ending.

Organisers of next month’s Oscars have yet to come to any agreement with the Writers’ Guild of America which would enable the February 24 show to go on.

And last night’s Golden Globes, usually a lavish awards ceremony packed with stars, was reduced to a half-hour long press conference in Beverley Hills.

The strike over payment to writers from shows offered on the internet started in November and has led to the Writers’ Guild of America refusing to let union members work on the star-studded awards show. Actors said they would boycott the ceremony rather than cross picket lines.

Legendary publicist Julian Myers, 89, told trade magazine Variety the strike could hasten the end of Hollywood. “The strike impasse is speeding the end of Hollywood film-making and television production,” he said.

“There are more union contracts coming up for renewal, and already unionists are crossing union lines.

“Insults are being exchanged, faces will be bashed and fatalities are a possibility.”

And in Monday’s LA Times, writer Patrick Goldstein said: “The real story behind the demise of the Golden Globes earlier this week is that the writers’ strike has quietly metamorphosed into the story of how Hollywood is being shut down by two unions, the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild.”